About Me

Hi, and welcome to Unsophisticook!

I’m Tara, and this little food blog has been my online home for the past 8+ years. As a mom of 5, I’m AAALLLLLLL about quick and easy recipes that help me get dinner on the table fast. My tastes learn toward healthier options, such as this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken, but you’ll also find tried and true family faves, like my grandma’s Corn Casserole. Everything in moderation — right?!?

Find your new family faves in my Recipe Index. Or if you have a question or are interested in collaborating with me, contact me.

My house is NEVER quiet!

Yes, as you can imagine, things are always hoppin’ in our household. With 5 kids, ranging in age from 10-16, we’re always on the go. When I’m not shuttling the kids to sports, I love cooking and baking (obvs!), reading, running, and photography… Oh, and in my “spare time” a few years ago, I wrote a book: All In Good Time.

We live in a small town just outside Columbus, OH, where we have the best of both worlds: all the perks that living in a small town affords (like driving our golf cart around town), with the big city just a short 15-minute drive away. Of course, this means that we’re HUGE Buckeyes fans, and fall Saturdays are forever & always reserved for tailgating!

A few of my favorite things:

My JEEP Rubicon — I have a white 2017 Recon edition, which I totally adore! My husband has a lifted black 2013 Rubicon. Guess you could say we have his and hers!

The 4×4 beaches at OBX — Corolla, NC may just be my favorite place in this whole, wide world. The ocean is my happy spot, and you can’t beat waking up to the waves crashing, dolphins playing, and wild mustangs running. Once a year is just not enough!

The local craft beer scene — We’re always up for checking out one of the many small breweries in Ohio. I’m ALL about the sours; meanwhile, my hubby’s always in search of the best IPA. We actually live within walking distance of BrewDog USA’s HQ, and their DogTap Columbus taproom is our Thursday night date night on the regular. If you’re ever in the area, drop me a line.

My Google calendar — Managing a large family’s obligations is NOT easy, so I rely on my Google calendar to organize every appointment, practice, game, work shift, etc. I tell my kids every day, “If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist in my world!” I’m honestly not that organized in any other aspect of my life, but when it comes to my calendar, I’m a stickler.

#ScarletTheWeim — Last, but not least, is Scarlet, our 3-year-old Weimaraner pup. Make no mistake, she rules the roost and is waayyyy too smart for her own good! She lives by the “move your feet, lose your seat” rule, and her favorite snack is… ICE. No joke!